Jackrabbits one-hit at Creighton

OMAHA, Neb. – Three Creighton pitchers combined on a one-hitter, leading the homestanding Bluejays to a 7-1 victory over South Dakota State in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night at TD Ameritrade Park.

Creighton improved to 26-13 overall, while SDSU, playing its final non-conference game of the regular season, dropped to 25-17 overall.

The Bluejays scored single runs in each of the first two innings to build an early 2-0 lead. Federico Castagnini singled and later scored on a wild pitch for the first-inning run, while Tommy Clouthier plated Brennan Murphy with a single for the second-inning tally.

Murphy made it 3-0 in the fifth-inning with a run-scoring single and the Bluejays extended the lead to 4-0 an inning later on a sacrifice fly by Peter.

Meanwhile, Bluejay starter Matt Warren was cruising. The freshman right-hander surrendered only a fourth-inning single by Scott Splett and faced a mere two batters over the minimum in 7 2/3 innings of work. Warren struck out two and walked three. Two of Warren’s free passes came to the final two batters he faced, leading to the Jackrabbits’ lone run of the game in the top of the eighth.

After reliever Mark Lukowski walked Reid Clary to load the bases, pinch-hitter Michael Finocchiaro reached on an error to allow Daniel Marra to score. On the play, however, Andrew Melton was caught rounding third base, ending the Jackrabbit rally with the potential go-ahead run due up.

Creighton tacked on three runs in the home half of the eighth. Castagnini doubled in the first two runs and scored on a double by Alex Staehely.

Brad McKewon paced the Bluejays’ 12-hit attack with three hits, while Castagnini, Staehely and Murphy each notched two hits. SDSU’s five pitchers combined to issue seven walks in the game, including five by starter Shane Kraemer in four innings of work.

The Jackrabbits return to action Friday, opening a four-game Summit League series against Fort Wayne. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Erv Huether Field.